


End of the Road

by airute (siruru)



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Temporarily Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-14 07:06:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14130735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siruru/pseuds/airute
Summary: You're the only one who's value doesn't change.[TYL! Reader/Tsuna Sawada] [Implied Tsuna Sawada/Kyoko Sasagawa]





	1. HIM.

end of the road

It had all been quite accidental, that single meeting with the Vongola Tenth during the last year of middle school. On days when you had nothing else to do, you often found yourself reminiscing about such trivial, yet happier times, before the truth of the world came crashing down on you. Nevertheless, you knew you wouldn't change the lifestyle you currently lived for anything else in the world because that would simply mean a world without the smiling brunette.

It had been a clear, sunny spring day and the first day of school for the students attending Namimori Middle School. You were running on the sidewalk, almost late for the first class held in the morning. Even though the head prefect had left the previous year, the ingrained fear towards the being known as Hibari Kyoya was still present for those who had lived through his reign of terror. Sidetracked by your thoughts you had failed to notice that you had bumped into someone until you were both on the floor, both of you muttering your apologies.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay."

You took notice that the boy was at least a head taller than you and clad in the same school uniform. The brunette was already getting up and you couldn't seem to place a name to his smiling face; however, you knew that, unfortunately, you weren't fantastic at remembering people. He outstretched his hand to you, smiling somewhat awkwardly at your position on the sidewalk. You could only return his smile; something about him was truly contagious. As you picked yourself off of the concrete, his introduction caught you off-guard.

"I'm Tsuna. Tsuna Sawada, nice to meet you."

**what had happened to no-good Tsuna?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch me on the flip side: [writing tumblr](http://the-canary.tumblr.com/)


	2. THEM

Soon, it became a daily routine to find you near the brunette, unlike the previous two years where you had only heard about him and caught glimpses from afar. However, from those two sources you could see that he had grown up quite a bit. He had grown a head taller, yet still kept a boyish charm that had you falling for him.

You soon joined the small group of friends that surrounded him. It was then when you learned two things: the "mafia" games that they played, according to Yamamoto and Tsuna's obvious crush on the school idol named Sasagawa Kyoko.

You held nothing against the girl. She was a nice person, if not a bit of an airhead. On the other hand, your own growing affections for the third year student were blinding you from truly liking her. That was how the final year of middle school went by. You watched them obviously flirt with each other with you fighting back a bitter smile the whole time. All too soon did high school come for all of you and you were joined by Miura Haru, whom you had met once during a visit to Tsuna's home.

Usually, the high school years were pivotal for a person, serving as preparation for the upcoming adult life. In your case, it was significant for two different reasons. On a windy summer day, a lesser mafia family attacked you in order to get to the Vongola leader. By the time everything was said and done, you were in need of serious medical attention. Three cracked ribs, a broken arm, a sprained ankle, internal hemorrhaging, and a black eye. Yet, you still couldn't blame the boy for the wounds inflicted upon you.

"I'm sorry."

'It's all right, Tsuna."

"But..."

"I'm alive, thanks to you. That's all that really matters."

"..."

He couldn't say anything as the fedora-wearing baby walked in, per usual concealing his thoughts and emotions so well. Reborn explained that there was truth in the game of mafia that Yamamoto had told you about. You soaked in everything that he divulged to you, still not sure whether to believe it or not. However, you knew it all made sense, the proof was clear; the attestation marred your body.

"Welcome to the Vongola."

"I have a question though."

"Mmm..."

"Do Kyoko and Haru know as well?"

Tsuna nodded his head with a simple "no" as the assassin stared at you, probably already discerning the reasons why you had asked that question. You knew it was childish, but it still eased your thumping heart that you knew something that she didn't. You hated being so envious, but the brown-eyed teenager brought out something so strange in you, something that you had never felt before.

A couple of weeks after the attack, you were released from the hospital with only a few lasting lacerations and a cast for your broken arm. You had been invited to the Sawada household for some type of celebration. As you entered the comfortable abode, you couldn't find the brunette anywhere and you finally understood why as you heard the silver-haired bomber's words in the middle of his talk with someone else.

"It's about time that the tenth asked lawn-head's sister to be his girlfriend."

You froze. There was only person that Gokudera called by that name, the boxer Sasagawa Ryohei. It could only mean that they were finally a couple. You had won the battle, but had clearly lost the war. You were only a member of the family that he cared so much about, but she was the lover, someone he would hold the world up for. You did the only thing you could do in your state of mind, run away.

"..."

With all the mingling, you didn't think anyone would see you leave or that you had even come to the festivity. However, you didn't detect the chocolate orbs on your figure as you scurried out Tsuna's home. He noticed how your bangs hid the rest of your face, a sign you were crying. It was habit of yours when it came to showing such emotion that he had noticed early on. He wondered what had happened, but was taken out of his thoughts by his girlfriend and her kind smile.

"Is something wrong, Tsuna?"

"No, nothing, Kyoko."

The Vongola tenth could let your behavior slide to the wayside for another time, but his concern for you kept nagging at him for the duration of the party.

As you began the lengthy walk home, your mind had come up with the best solution for all this: you had to let him go. You knew it wasn't as simple as that. Nothing in life was ever as simple as when it was being said in words. You sighed desolately, what was best for the family always came first, you had been taught that much.

_I'll work the best I can for the Vongola. To serve him and nothing more._

That was the day that the lovable Tsunayoshi Sawada changed from beloved friend to the mandate of a single name -- boss.


	3. HER.

_There was blood splattered over the walls of the room and the smoking barrel of the gun was still in her hands. She had a wish during these moments like this, those times when she became a demon with a gun._

_For these few daunting moments, she wished to have never met Sawada Tsunayoshi._

**All she had done was to protect the family.**

* * *

If someone had told Sawada Tsunayoshi ten years ago he would have become a Mafioso, he wouldn't have believed it. Nevertheless, a plane ride from Namimori to the Vongola's secondary base in Italy always brought nostalgic thoughts from the back his mind and bubbling forth during those hours in the plane ride back home. Things had changed these past years, for himself and his family and she had been one of those many, drastic changes.

"...Boss?"

The Vongola Tenth stared at the woman next to him. Her questioning voice didn't reach her eyes, nothing did anymore. She had grown stronger, but cold as well. The happy teenager he had met long ago had been replaced by a cold-hearted woman with barriers all around her. Sure, it might have been something to do with her career as one of his bodyguards and most trusted allies, but there was something else and he knew that. There was a void within her, but he didn't know how it had happened. Sometimes, he still was that same clueless teenager that didn't know how to handle anything on his own. At least, when it came to her, it was because of the distance placed between them. He didn't want something -her especially- that he cherished to be taken away from him again, not like with his first romance.

"Yes?"

"Is there something wrong?"

Brown orbs stared at her, as she picked her words carefully because now, she was a person of few words. So, all of them had to count, before she closed herself up again to the rest of the world. Their eyes met as the older man finally took in her full appearance. Sure, he had seen her through the years, but she was always hidden behind someone else, whether it was Haru or her, the one that still made his heart ache every so often. On this plane ride, he could only take notice of how much she had really changed now that she had no one to hide behind.

"We'll be there in ten minutes."

Her soft voice cut off his thoughts again, as he noticed her breaking eye contact and gazing towards the blue sky outside. Her hair was shorter than when they had first met, by the sidewalk back home. A silver gun -her signature weapon- was at her side, ready to use if anything went wrong. He remembered being there the first time she had killed a person, soaked in bright red with tears in her eyes. Yet, she was silent as they took him away, but she had been hurt because of him. At times he had to wonder: how many bones had she broken and how much blood had she shed in his name?

"..."

He placed his head on the plush cushion of the seat, and started to fall asleep. She glanced at him one last time before he succumbed to sleep and dream. It was filled with places where she wasn't so accustomed to wearing those black outfits and such a grave expression on her face. When she was a smiling girl, who was always there, and brought a funny feeling to his heart no matter how much he tried to deny it.

_"Tsuna!"_

_You gave him a quick grin that made his heart thump like crazy, even though he still liked Kyoko. At least he thought he did, as he grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly at his common mistake. You had been helping him with his math homework, a subject that you were quite good at. It had been going quite well, until you noticed that most of his answers were incorrect. Nevertheless, you stayed there and gave him the extra help; there wasn't anything that you would deny him. So, you pumped your arm in the air and laughed, catching his blushing expression._

_"All right, next problem!"_

_"Yeah." ___

__  
_  
Something was pushing him and breaking the sweet dream that he didn't want to leave, that was until he heard a familiar voice. Chocolate orbs opened to meet the olive-colored ones of his right-hand-man. Automatically, he knew that they had finally arrived on Italian soil, because he had already gone through this routine a million times before, and would do so a million times after. He was groggy from his nap, but he took notice that the seat adjacent to his was already empty. The Vongola tenth gave a questioning glance to the silver-haired bomber, who simply sighed and looked toward the open door._

____

"She's already outside."

Thus, the Vongola leader exited the private jet and emerged outside into the Italian scenery before them. However, that isn't what he took notice of first. It was her. She was standing obediently at the end of the runway with a sleek, black car parked behind her. Everything was silent besides the incoming planes as the pair walked towards her. She just glanced down at the ground as they approached her and entered the car waiting to take them to the base. However, the brown-haired Mafioso stopped before entering the car, and gave her a sweet smile, like he always did, only to be met with a blank stare. He sighed and ran a hand through his spiky locks that shimmered in the beauty of the Tuscan sun.

"What happened to you?"

She kept staring at him, but he noticed a quick flicker in her eyes. It was like he hit a chord by asking that question and she was thinking of her answer. Everything had to be chosen carefully now, unlike before when she was a gregarious girl that spilled out anything that came to her mind. She held back so many things and it was so hard to read what was going through that head of hers anymore.

So, he waited for her answer, and she stared right into his molten brown orbs. Her voice was colder than before, as if she was putting all her frozen emotions into a single sentence. He wanted the old her back, but it wasn't so easy anymore.

"I grew up, boss."

**sweetheart, when did your heart go missing?**


	4. I.

_Tsunayoshi Sawada smiled, as he watched his guardians and other family members from afar. He was at ease at the current moment, everyone was enjoying this small gathering. However, he turned at the sound of giggling among certain female members. Haru was being her usual eccentric self, but the thing that froze him was_ her _smiling and laughing at Yamamoto's side._

****

**Their eyes met, while her smile grew and his heart stopped.**

* * *

You glanced nervously at your surroundings, the Vongola mansion was beautifully decorated for its annual gala to thank all its allies. It would be the brown-haired man's fifth year hosting this event, but his third without a date by his side. Yet, that was easily compensated with the overload of beautiful Italian women rushing to his side asking for a dance. Coldly, you watched them giggle at Tsuna's entrance, yet they were dressed beautifully compared to the simple black dress that you had bought with Haru and Bianchi.

"Why don't you just tell him already?"

"...that would be selfish of me, Dino."

You gave the older blond man next to you a cynical smile, as he grabbed a drink for himself. Dino Cavallone like the rest of the group that knew of your situation, yet he was resilient for you to tell the young boss since Sasagawa Kyoko had left him heartbroken to study in England. The thirty-two year-old knew of your cold front, but thought it was just due to fear and repressed emotions. However, there was a sense of urgency for him since the threat of the Millefiore seemed more present each day. Nevertheless, you ignored him to take another sip of wine from the glass in your hand.

"I'm just a coward."

"May I ask why?"

The Cavallone boss's smile grew, as you turned to meet with a worried look from familiar russet orbs. You stayed silent, while the two greeted and traded pleasantries. You were about to leave when a warm hand halted all your thoughts. Tsunayoshi was stopping your escape route, as he slowly dragged you onto the dance floor. You blushed, as the taller man held you closer. He didn't say anything through numerous songs the both of you danced, but eventually your feet grew tired.

"Boss?"

"Yes?"

"I'm getting tired."

Tsuna quickly blushed at your statement and stopped. Nevertheless, you quickly put up your cold front and looked disinterested at the large group of people looking at you and making small comments among themselves. He gave you a nervous smile, but you stayed silent and quickly pulled away to find somewhere to hide for the rest of the night. You stayed away for the rest of the party in a small post that out looked the rest of the Vongola estate. The cold air cooled down your heated cheeks into the early morning hours, as your bare feet touch the grass below. It was soothing until you heard your name being called.

"Why did you run away?"

"It was bothersome."

The automatic and emotionless answer fell quickly out of your lips, as the brown-haired man sat next to you. There was a silence that fell just like the night sky and you slowly turned to meet his bright chocolate eyes. There was a peaceful smile of his face different than the serious one that he wore in his usual meetings. You felt yourself calm down, while he dragged you into his warm body by the shoulders. His face buried itself into your hair, but his next words made your heart beat like crazy and that same cynical smile to bloom on your face again.

"...I think I'm falling for you."

"You must be fooling yourself."

**because of you, my heart now wears armor.**


	5. WE (PAST VER).

_He stares at her with some indescribable passion in those toffee orbs and her heart is beating fanatically. Tsunayoshi Sawada brings her head up to his and their breaths are mingling together within the crisp Italian air. He whispers something loving that she doesn't quite catch before pulling her even closer. It is what she has wanted for years and yet something inside her numbs everything that she is suppose to feel at this very moment. Maybe, it is fear or some other childish emotion that her heart has encased in glass for nearly a decade, but she pushes him away. He is confused and hurt at the same time, as she runs farther and farther away, like they always do._

" **I cannot love you that way, boss.** "

* * *

Between that night and up to his funeral, every other day becomes a blur in your head. They are elapsed moments filled with awkward silences and pitiful glances towards the other, but the both of you are too jaded and over-worked to cross that line again. Then, your world crashes and burns for the second time because he's dead soon enough by Milliefiore hands. You weren't there when the base was ambushed due some unknown circumstances, but he probably wanted it that way. Yet, the funeral is the worst when she comes back to Japan and everyone is treating Sasagawa Kyoko like a mourning wife.

"We are very sorry for your loss, ma'am."

Random people come and give their condolences to the grieving family, while you're doing some protection duty within his childhood home. Nana has been filled with nothing but tears and is always clinging to either her husband or one of the other girls, namely Kyoko. You give her credit on how she is handling the whole situation, but those misplaced stares of how she lost something really get your blood boiling. Worst of all, you don't cry, stone faced is how you watch him be sent six feet underground. You wearing black coat like always, but underneath is the dress from the night when he had almost kissed you. It is not until everyone goes into hiding and you join the Cavallone's forces that you cry the whole night in the sympathetic blonde's arms.

"Come back to Japan with me."

"Why?"

"We have a plan to defeat the Milliefiore now."

There's a grin growing on his face, while you stare at him dumbfounded and agree. However, you aren't like most people and return to the silent persona that has been crafted to perfection over the years, instead of the confused and lonely girl that Dino had kept in Italy. Yet, your heart speeds up like crazy when you see a certain familiar brown-haired youth training with Lal Mirch and Hibari. He is just a tad too young to be the Tsunayoshi that you cherish and will meet in two years time, but you can see sparks of a confident young man hidden behind kind yet naive flesh. Your job, though, is to help plan the semantics for their infiltration, which means staying up late and working odd hours. So, you don't expect to see other people. Yet, one night in the kitchen, he is standing in front of you like a ghost, still doubtful of everything after his little spat with the corrupted Acrobaleno.

"Am I a g-go-od bo-ss in this fu-tu-re?"

You blink at his sudden question and stutter accompanying it, wondering what the others have been saying about your attitude in general. His pajama-clad self brings a smile to your face, as you kneel down to his eye level. He looks at you with doe-like brown eyes as you bring the blushing teenager into a hug. There is a strong emotion laced within your heart that makes it sink while you hold him, telling you how foolish you were. He stands there and you place a gentle kiss on his temple and whisper before walking away, while thinking of someone too far away to hold anymore.

"You'll be perfect, Tsuna."

**you'll say goodbye, but i'll keep waiting.**


	6. US (FUTURE VER).

_Tsunayoshi Sawada is twenty-five years old and staring at the barrel of a gun. There had always been moments like this in his life, but there was had always been someone to protect him. However, this time, he is willing to fall for the sake of the greater good of the world, for his friends and everyone else he cared about. Yet, there is a silver of doubt of it working, as he stares at the green-eyed man in front of him. There weren't many regrets in his past, but there were times when he wondered if he could go back and change the little blemishes that had caused his heart so much ache. Would his relationship actually have worked with Kyoko Sasagawa? That had mattered once, but only one thought left his mind, as the trigger echoed through the room and he fell to the ground._   
  


**Would she be able to smile again?**

 

* * *

  
You walk behind Shouichi and watch the little exchanges going on between everyone. Although, none noticed, you were near hysterics when everyone found out the Tsuna of your time line was still alive, but you were even happier -like everyone else- when Byakuran was finally defeated. There was the initial sadness over the loss of the young Sky Arcobaleno, but everyone would be sure to move on and smile - it would be what she would have wanted. You were talking and exchanging goodbyes with Yamamoto when the brown-haired youth comes over and gives you a nervous smile. A light laughter comes from your throat, as they soon begin to leave. The younger versions are replaced with the ones you know so well, but you are hopeful that he heard your words as they traveled back in time.  
  


"Where's the tenth?"

  
Everything falls into a state of normalcy over the course of the next few days. All of the Vongola members are busy with their own affairs like fixing the main base or making contact with vanished allies. You were currently in Italy helping the Cavallone and other various mafia families rebuild after the war with the Milliefiore. Dino could see that there was a tremendous change in your demeanor and on how you interacted with people. Before you were almost as cold as Hibari, but now you were filled with warmth and tried to make everyone comfortable around this new person, while still maintaining same level of authority. He wondered how a certain person would handle this new change and he sincerely hoped the best for the two of you.   
  


"The tenth wants to see you, woman."

  
When you returned to Japan, the silver-haired bomber told you that the brown-haired man wanted to meet with you immediately after your return. It felt odd for you standing in front of the door and waiting for his current meeting to end. Your emotions were still high after everything that had happened between the two of you before his "death". You were thinking about saying something -maybe, your real feelings- but, the figure coming out of his office made your blood freeze.  
  


"P-please, excuse me."

  
Sasagawa Kyoko came out of his office with tears running down her face and a bittersweet smile set on her face. She only looked at you once before running down the stairs and out of your line of vision. You would have said something if it had not been for the man inside calling your name. The damage had already been done and this small incident made you go back into your shell as a defense mechanism. So, instead of being met with the smiling woman everyone was talking about, the Vongola leader was met with the same cold and fearful woman that he had left behind. The meeting was straight and to the point with your clipped manner of speech. By the end, Tsunayoshi and you were sitting in the dim light of his office with a small yet painful smile slowly etched on his face.  
  


"I thought the rumors were true."

"Rumors, boss?"

  
"That you had returned to acting like your old self, again."

  
Russet orbs look at you before turning to stare at the wall adjacent to him, his arm holding his face in its pensive state. Something inside you breaks, as you close your eyes and reach deep inside your heart for something you hadn't found as a teenager - strength. He watches you grip the folder in your hands and weave a tale that is seven years in the making.   
  
It holds an accidental beginning, atrocious and mediocre center with a quite not-so definite ending. He might understand what you are really saying because by the end when your voice has gone soft and there are tears in your eyes, Tsuna is crouching in front of you. His smile is a little wider than before and something amazing is blooming in those pretty eyes of his. It is all quiet, as you finish the tale and he just keeps closing the space left between the both of you.  
  


"The girl gets tired of living in another woman's shadow."

"...and the boy promises never again if she accepts him."

**keep trying, and you might get it right once.**


End file.
